• Re: The HiTek Report 12/19

    From KP2 KP2@21:1/5 to Robert H. McIver on Sun Sep 10 17:53:14 2023
    On Monday, December 19, 1994 at 11:38:49 AM UTC-8, Robert H. McIver wrote:
    ************************************************************************ ******* The HiTek Report (c) ******* ************************************************************************
    The HiTek Report, a summary of news releases on information technology,
    is provided weekly as a free Internet user service by Smith/McIver Communications. The complete news releases of the summaries in this newsletter are available to subscribers upon request. ************************************************************************
    Vol 1 December 19, 1994 Number 20 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In This Issue
    ---------------
    -COMPUTER HARDWARE-
    1525 - IBM Halts Shipments Of Pentium-Based Personal Computers
    1526 - AST Computer continues to ship Pentium systems
    1528 - Intel says IBM shipment halt is unwarranted
    1535 - Lotus 1-2-3 Users with a Pentium are Assured of Accurate Calculations 1537 - Digital Continues Shipping Pentium Systems
    1538 - Gateway 2000 Pentium Sales, Shipments Full Speed Ahead
    1540 - Smith Barney has demanded that IBM replace flawed Pentium chips
    1542 - Hewlett-Packard issues statement on Pentium processor
    1543 - Sales of Pentium computers strong
    1544 - Compaq continues to satisfy demand for Pentium-based PCs and servers 1549 - Zenith Data Systems Supports Pentium Customers
    1550 - Cray Research CEO Says Japan Business Good And Growing'
    -PERIPHERALS-
    1529 - Global Village offers easy, economical network modem solution
    1531 - Genicom Delivers 12 PPM Laser Printer To Small Workgroups
    -SOFTWARE-
    1533 - Online Banking With Microsoft Money Draws Tremendous Response
    1536 - dBASE for Windows now available in ten languages
    1539 - PerfectOffice 3.0 Sweeps First Place Awards
    1541 - Galactic Civilizations tops the PC games user play list
    1545 - IBM's OS/2 for the PowerPC enters beta cycle
    1546 - Backup Software Certified By Novell For Use On NetWare 4.1 Servers -MISCL-
    1527 - SCO acquires Visionware
    1530 - Apple Computer to subpoena Microsoft and Intel Software Code
    1547 - Spindler on Apple: Up close and personal
    1548 - Computer Bulletin Board Operator Pleads Guilty
    1551 - The Do's and don'ts of the company holiday party
    -BOOKS-
    1532 - Book Provides Reviews Of The 100 Best Educational Software Titles
    1534 - Inside Windows 95 - Previews Next Generation Of Windows
    ---
    ======================================================================== ******* Computer Hardware - Software - Peripherals - Books *******
    Press Releases from week of: 12/12/94 ======================================================================== #1525
    IBM HALTS SHIPMENTS OF PENTIUM-BASED PERSONAL
    COMPUTERS BASED ON COMPANY RESEARCH
    SOMERS, N.Y. - Dec. 12, 1994 - IBM today announced it has stopped shipment
    of all IBM personal computers based on the Intel Pentium(a) microprocessor. The action is based on tests conducted by the IBM Research Division stimulated by growing customer concern that Pentium-related problems are
    more frequent than previously estimated.
    Results of IBM Research Division tests indicate that while Intel's descriptions of the flaw are technically accurate, there are many customer situations in which the risk of error may be significantly higher. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1526
    AST COMPUTER CONTINUES TO SHIP PENTIUM SYSTEMS
    December 12, 1994
    AST Computer, a leading manufacturer of personal computers,
    is continuing to ship Pentium(TM)-processor-based systems
    and is taking additional steps to resolve any potential
    customer issues relating to AST(R) Pentium-based systems.
    "Intel has assured us that the frequency of encountering
    reduced precision in floating point divide operations is
    rare and that average users will not be impacted in their
    applications," said Jim Schraith, AST's president and chief
    operating officer. "We want our customers to feel confident
    in using our Pentium-based products and will take the steps
    required to provide satisfactory products." -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1527
    SCO ACQUIRES VISIONWARE
    ... extends lead in race for Windows-
    friendly client/server solutions
    SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - Dec. 12, 1994 - SCO the leading supplier of business critical UNIX server and host systems, has made the next major step toward integrating the Windows and UNIX environments by acquiring Visionware Ltd., the world's leading supplier of Windows-to-UNIX integration solutions.
    info: tel. 408/427-7252 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1528
    INTEL SAYS IBM SHIPMENT HALT IS UNWARRANTED
    SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Dec. 12, 1994 - In response to an IBM press release, Intel reiterated that it has studied the Pentium processor flaw for months and has concluded that the frequency of encountering reduced precision in floating point divide operations is once in every 9 billion random divide operations.
    Intel said it regards IBM's decision to halt shipments of its Pentium processor-based systems as unwarranted.
    "Based upon the work of our scientists analyzing real world applications,
    and the experience of millions of users of Pentium processor-based systems, we have no evidence of increased probability of encountering the flaw,"
    said Andrew S. Grove, president and chief executive officer. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1529
    GLOBAL VILLAGE OFFERS EASY, ECONOMICAL NETWORK
    MODEM SOLUTION FOR MAC NETWORKS
    SUNNYVALE, Calif. - Dec. 12, 1994 - In its effort to enable users to communicate directly from their networked personal computers, Global Village Communication Inc. has announced OneWorld Network Modem, a next generation product that expands its OneWorld family.
    OneWorld Network Modem is a fast, easy-to-install, competitively priced, shared dial-out solution targeted towards small-to medium-sized businesses and workgroups in large organizations.
    info: tel. 800-736-4821 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1530
    MacWEEK REPORTS APPLE COMPUTER TO SUBPOENA
    MICROSOFT AND INTEL SOFTWARE CODE
    SAN FRANCISCO - Dec. 11, 1994 - MacWEEK, the only newsweekly covering the
    Mac market, has learned that Apple Computer has been granted the right to subpoena software source code from Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp.
    MacWEEK's Dec. 12th issue will report that Apple Computer has filed
    a motion in U.S. District Court in San Francisco alleging copyright infringement and has been granted the right to subpoena a digital video source code developed by the San Francisco Canyon Company and used by Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. as evidence in its motion. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1531
    GENICOM DELIVERS 12 PPM LASER PRINTER TO SMALL WORKGROUPS
    CHANTILLY, Va., Dec. 12 - GENICOM Corporation a multinational leader in high-technology printing and service solutions, is pleased to introduce
    the GENICOM 7612, a feature-rich laser printer designed for small
    workgroups and desktop applications. General availability is scheduled
    for first quarter 1995.
    When the printers optional second 500-sheet paper cassette is added,
    users have the added benefit of printing 1,150-sheets from three paper sources for letterhead, legal paper and/or envelopes.
    info: tel. 800-GENICOM (436-4266) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1532
    'THAT'S EDUTAINMENT!' BOOK PROVIDES REVIEWS OF
    THE 100 BEST HOME EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE TITLES
    Free Bound-in CD-ROM Allows Parents to Try Before They Buy
    BERKELEY, Calif., Dec. 12 - With public schools in trouble nationwide and parents concerned about the effects of TV and video games, entertaining learning ("edutainment") software is emerging as a healthy alternative and supplement. "That's Edutainment! A Parent's Guide to Educational Software" explores the world of fun learning software in a comprehensive sourcebook -- complete with a CD-ROM full of demos and full-working versions of
    educational software.
    To be published by Osborne/McGraw-Hill in early January 1995, "That's Edutainment!" will help parents choose the right programs to supplement
    the skills their children learn at school.
    info: tel. 510-549-6602 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1533
    ONLINE BANKING WITH MICROSOFT MONEY
    DRAWS TREMENDOUS RESPONSE
    REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 12 - Less than two months after Chase Manhattan became the fourth bank to offer online banking through Microsoft(R) Money, the bank is reporting a tremendous response to its new PC Banking service. Since
    Chase Manhattan began supporting Microsoft Money's Bank On-Line capability
    in mid-October, the bank has responded to more than 15,000 inquiries to Chase's 24-hour online banking information line. The bank has had to add
    five new employees to their fulfillment department just to handle consumer interest in the new service. The other banks have had a similarly strong response to their online banking capabilities through Microsoft Money.
    Money 3.0, the award-winning financial management product released in February 1994, is the first major personal finance package to offer
    fee-based online banking. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1534
    INSIDE WINDOWS 95 - NEW BOOK FROM MICROSOFT
    PRESS PREVIEWS NEXT GENERATION OF WINDOWS
    REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 12 - Strong sales of INSIDE WINDOWS 95, a new book written by former Microsoft developer Adrian King, indicate growing
    interest in and support for the upcoming Microsoft(R) Windows(TM) 95 operating system. Since the publication of INSIDE WINDOWS 95 last month, Microsoft Press has shipped more than 200,000 copies of the 512-page book, which has appeared on nearly every major computer-book best-seller list. Translations into eight languages are under way to meet rapidly growing international demand.
    (ISBN 1-55615-626-X) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1535
    LOTUS 1-2-3 USERS WITH A PENTIUM ARE ASSURED OF ACCURATE CALCULATIONS CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Dec. 13, 1994 - Lotus Development Corp. today said that Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet users working on personal computers with Pentium microprocessors can still perform accurate floating point calculations, despite reported flaws in the microprocessor. A minor change in 1-2-3, made by the user, circumvents the floating point flaw in the microprocessor.
    Once the user makes the change, floating point calculations are handled by the 1-2-3 software instead of the Pentium microprocessor.
    info: tel. 617-693-1283 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1536
    dBASE FOR WINDOWS NOW AVAILABLE IN TEN LANGUAGES AND OVER 65 COUNTRIES
    New Borland database wins two more European
    Awards; Kanji Version ships
    SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. - Dec. 13, 1994 - Borland International Inc. continues to introduce the world to the power of dBASE 5.0 for Windows by releasing
    a Kanji version to the Japanese market. Since shipping the English version
    of this award-winning database software in August, the company has also released translations in German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese. According to estimates by Computer Intelligence InfoCorp, dBASE is used by over 15 million people around the world -- more than all other PC databases combined.
    info: tel. 408/431-4863 Internet: scu...@wpo.borland.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1537
    DIGITAL CONTINUES SHIPPING PENTIUM SYSTEMS
    MAYNARD, Mass., Dec. 13 - Digital Equipment Corporation stated today that Digital will remain a reliable supplier of Pentium products. The company's Personal Computer Business Unit is continuing to market and ship Pentium- based PCs.
    "Although we are receiving some requests for information about the current Pentium situation, customers continue to choose Pentium systems," said Howard Elias, Vice President of Desktop Systems for Digital's Personal Computer Business Unit. "We intend to fully honor their choice by supplying Pentium PCs. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1538
    GATEWAY 2000 PENTIUM SALES, SHIPMENTS FULL SPEED AHEAD
    NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D., Dec. 13 "Gateway 2000 is going full-speed ahead
    with sales and shipments of our Pentium-based PCs," said Ted Waitt,
    chairman and CEO of Gateway 2000. "We've sold more Pentium-based PCs than
    any company in the U.S. market, and before this story broke in the news,
    we had not received one call from a customer complaining of any errors related to a flaw in the floating point unit. If this had been a problem
    with real world applications, we would have heard from our customers immediately because we're in constant contact with them."
    Waitt's comments came in response to an IBM announcement Monday of a halt
    in shipments of IBM's Pentium-based PCs.
    info: tel. 605-232-2723 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1539
    PerfectOffice 3.0 SWEEPS FIRST PLACE
    AWARDS IN SOFTWARE SUITE SHOOTOUT
    OREM, Utah - Dec. 14, 1994 - Novell, Inc. Wednesday announced that PerfectOffice 3.0, its new desktop applications suite, was preferred by 6
    out of 10 attendees at a recent Software Suites SuperStars Forum sponsored
    by ASAP Software Express.
    ASAP Software is one of the country's largest and fastest-growing resellers of PC software, serving more than 20,000 corporate and government customers nationwide. The Forums took place in four major U.S. cities: Phoenix, Arizona; Raleigh, North Carolina; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Tampa, Florida. Representatives from Novell, Microsoft and Lotus were invited to participate and highlight benefits of their respective suites: Novell's PerfectOffice, Microsoft Office and Lotus SmartSuite.
    info: tel. 800/451-5151. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1540
    SMITH BARNEY HAS DEMANDED THAT IBM REPLACE FLAWED PENTIUM CHIPS
    NEW YORK - Dec. 14, 1994 - Wall Street trading firm Smith Barney has
    demanded that IBM replace flawed Pentium chips in some 600 personal
    computers with new processors flown in directly from Intel manufacturing plants, according to the Dec. 26 issue of InformationWeek, available on newstands on Friday, Dec. 16.
    The New York-based company, one of IBM's biggest customer sites, is taking the processor flaw very seriously because of Security and Exchange Commissions (SEC) regulations that demand an extremely high degree of computational accuracy. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1541
    GALACTIC CIVILIZATIONS TOPS THE PC GAMES USER PLAY LIST
    SANDY, Utah - Dec. 14, 1994 - One of the biggest PC software hits this holiday season among hard-core gamers is the innovative computer strategy venture Galactic Civilizations(c), the first commercially available game
    for IBM's OS/2(a) Warp.
    Offering a galaxy of alien encountering challenges, Galactic Civilizations
    is currently the most popular PC game on the Net PC Games Top 100(b) worldwide preference list for the week of Dec. 12, 1994. Net PC Games Top
    100 is an independent internet poll conducted worldwide each week on the
    most popular games. Since the list is compiled from votes by the world's
    avid gamers, many in the PC game industry consider it the most objective compilation available.
    Available at: 800-776-8284 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1542
    HEWLETT-PACKARD ISSUES STATEMENT ON PENTIUM PROCESSOR
    ed.note: HP has issued the following statement by Richard C. Watts, HP vice president and general manager of the Personal Information Products Group.
    "At this time, HP believes there is no compelling
    reason to halt shipments of our Pentium(tm)-based PC
    products. Specifically, these HP products include 10
    models from the HP Vectra XU, Vectra VL desktop PC
    family and from the HP NetServer LC, LF and LM network
    server family.
    "We will continue to evaluate the validity of data from
    any source concerning the floating point bug in the
    Intel Pentium processor, including our own analysis, to
    ensure that the best interests of HP customers are
    served.
    "I'm pleased to report that to date HP customers have
    reacted very positively to our initial public response
    (Dec. 2), and I want to reiterate our intent to ensure
    the satisfaction of HP customers who may be affected by
    the floating point bug. HP and Intel remain committed
    to providing replacement processors as needed when
    redesigned Pentium processors become available."
    Richard C. Watts
    info: faxback service at 1-800-333-1917 or ph: 208-344-4809 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- SALES OF PENTIUM COMPUTERS STRONG
    FORT WORTH, Texas - Dec. 14, 1994 - Tandy Corporation sells Pentium
    computers through Computer City(R), Incredible Universe(R) and Radio Shack(R). Sales of Pentium computers are increasing significantly each
    week in our stores.
    "Pentium platforms for multimedia are clearly becoming the machine of choice for many consumers. We have received questions but not complaints from our customers about Pentium performance. We will continue to sell and recommend Pentium-based computers in keeping with our experience in the marketplace," said John V. Roach, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Tandy Corporation.
    (end of PR) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1544
    COMPAQ CONTINUES TO SATISFY DEMAND FOR HIGH-
    PERFORMANCE PENTIUM-BASED PCs AND SERVERS
    HOUSTON - Dec. 15, 1994 - Compaq Computer Corporation has been thoroughly examining all available data and studies relating to the flaw in the Intel Pentium microprocessor.
    The company has decided to continue shipping Pentium-based PCs and servers
    to satisfy those customers who require the higher level of performance offered by the Pentium.
    "In fact, our examination has only reinforced our belief that the vast majority of our customers are unlikely to encounter the flaw in their calculations. For those who are affected, we will work with them to replace the Pentiums in their Compaq PCs," said John Rose, Senior Vice President
    and General Manager, Desktop PC Division, Compaq Computer Corporation.
    info: tel. 800-345-1518. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1545
    IBM's OS/2 FOR THE PowerPC ENTERS BETA CYCLE
    Beta 1 released to developers this week
    AUSTIN, Texas - Dec. 15, 1994 - IBM today announced that it will begin to distribute its beta for the OS/2 for the PowerPC operating system and software developer kit to 150 select software vendors and corporate developers, marking the start of its OS/2 for the PowerPC beta program.
    The first beta of OS/2 for the PowerPC includes features of OS/2 Warp plus
    a complete application development environment. This confidential beta is designed to give developers a head start on porting their existing 32-bit Intel applications to the PowerPC and allow them to begin to develop new applications that exploit the benefits native to the RISC architecture.
    info: tel. 800/354-0978 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1546
    REMEMORY'S REMSERVE NLM IS FIRST BACKUP SOFTWARE CERTIFIED
    BY NOVELL FOR USE ON NetWare 4.1 SERVERS
    COSTA MESA, Calif. - Dec. 15, 1994 - Rememory Corp. Thursday announced that REMSERVE software version 1.96 has become the first backup application to
    be certified by Novell Labs for use in NetWare 4.1 environments (Novell Certification Bulletin numbers B191 and N168).
    REMSERVE is an enterprise-wide backup and restore application for NetWare networks. Fully SMS (Storage Management Services) and SIDF (System Independent Data Format) compliant, REMSERVE archives NetWare 4.x and 3.x servers and workstations using Novell standard Target Service Agents (TSAs), no proprietary software agents are required.
    info: tel. 800/644-2300 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1547
    SPINDLER ON APPLE: UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
    DEDHAM, Mass. - Dec. 15, 1994--Michael Spindler, chairman and CEO of Apple, will share his candid opinions and perspectives on the Macintosh and where its going at MACWORLD Expo's Industry Interchange on Jan. 6 in San
    Francisco.
    In an informal session led by InfoWorld Editor-in-Chief Stewart Alsop, Spindler will discuss Apple's present strategies and its plans for the future. This close encounter is part of a day-long forum at which people
    who develop, produce or sell Macintosh software, hardware and peripherals meet with Apple and key industry analysts to discuss current issues.
    info: tel. 617)361-8000 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1548
    COMPUTER BULLETIN BOARD OPERATOR PLEADS GUILTY
    BOSTON, Dec. 15 - The operator of a computer bulletin board pleaded guilty
    to criminal copyright infringement today.
    United States Attorney Donald K. Stern announced that RICHARD D. KENADEK, aged 43, of 46 South Oxford Road, Millbury, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty
    to violating the copyright protections of commercial computer software programs. In proceedings before United States District Judge Mark L. Wolf, KENADEK admitted that he operated the Davey Jones Locker bulletin board, charging fees to give subscribers access to dozens of copyrighted computer software programs.
    info: tel. 617-223-9445 U.S. Attorney's Office -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1549
    ZENITH DATA SYSTEMS SUPPORTS PENTIUM CUSTOMERS PENTIUM-
    BASED PRODUCT SALES AND SHIPMENTS REMAIN STRONG
    BUFFALO GROVE, Ill., Dec. 15 - Zenith Data Systems today announced
    that in support of its Pentium-based PC and server customers, the company will replace the Pentium processor free of charge for those who request
    a new chip.
    "It has always been ZDS' policy to support and satisfy our customers, and this situation is no different. We will do whatever it takes, including replacing the Pentium microprocessor if that's what the customer wants,"
    said Cliff Jenks, ZDS' executive vice president of sales and marketing.
    "Our customers and their concerns are our top priority, so we will
    continue working closely with them and with Intel to make sure they are completely satisfied with their purchases.
    info: tel. 800-CARE-360 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1550
    CRAY RESEARCH CEO SAYS JAPAN BUSINESS GOOD AND GROWING
    Says Company Plans To Launch Newest Product From Tokyo Next Quarter,
    CEO Carlson Named To Clinton's Export Advisory Committee
    TOKYO, Japan, Dec. 15 - Cray Research, Inc. chairman and chief executive, John Carlson described the supercomputing company's business in Japan as "good and growing," during a meeting with media today.
    Carlson, visiting Japan this week to confer with customers and employees, said he hoped that Cray Research Japan (CRJ) would win at least one additional competition for a small system before year-end. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1551
    THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF THE COMPANY HOLIDAY PARTY
    ... by Richard A. Moran, author of Never Confuse A Memo
    With Reality and Beware Those Who Ask For Feedback
    1. Do attend. They are almost always a spectacle of excess. If your
    annual raise was less than 3%, make sure you go through the buffet
    line twice.
    ed. note: Subscribers, if you would like to receive the other 9 DO's and DON'TS, send request.
    ---
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    chitard

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